Italy

The entrance to Il Convivo Troiani may be plain and without fanfare, but when you ring the doorbell, what you’re greeted with is a warm welcome what seems to be a secret door. White linen and soft lighting combine to highlight its sublime glow, and that’s just the first of many pleasant surprises Il Convivo has up its sleeve.

The neighborhood of Monti is just one of Rome’s many hidden gems. Visitors will make it a point to see its famous landmarks such as the Colosseum and Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, but often neglect the spaces between them.

Rome is an open-air museum that dates back to the beginning of the 6th century. Anyone who comes for a visit and runs into a local like Paolo Ferrini, should count their lucky stars and follow the old saying “when in Rome.”

Only the best of the best is found at Colapicchioni, and that’s not just our opinion, it is a statement of fact made by owner Angelo Colapicchioni himself. As he put it, the bread baked here is one of the only to reproduce the old style while using ingredients known to play a key role in Italian gastronomy.

Tucked away in the neighborhood of Prati in Rome sits a little bistro by the name of Obladi Oblada not to far from the Le Méridien Visconti Hotel. Beatles fans may recognize the name, as it’s inspiration comes from the famous Beatles song.

According to Giacomo Guzzardi, General Manager of Le Méridien Visconti, sightseeing in Rome is easy, but visitors looking to really get a feel for what it’s like to live in the Eternal City should turn their attentions to Prati.

Volpetti is a culinary gold mine that dares foodies to dig around and not turn up something to fall in love with. Claudio and Emilio, two brothers who still work there today, opened the market in 1973, and it has been thriving ever since.

Taverna Trilussa is one of those can’t miss staples of Italian cuisine that’s done well keeping its local crowd unsullied by a revolving door of tourists. It was started in 1908 by the Pirola family, and today is run by two brothers who are all too happy to keep up the tradition.